NEW ORLEANS — Born and raised in New Orleans as Leon Howard, The Wallstreet Trapper is currently on a tour, using his life experiences to teach people how to be better with their money.
“I always say a dollar that’s not moving is a dollar that’s losing,” he said.
Tuesday, Howard had a stop in his hometown, attracting 500 people to the Orpheum.
“I think when it comes to finances, whether it’s in college, they don’t know how to talk to the every day person. The barrier of entry is so high, so many people feel left out. Money is a universal language, everyone wants more money, Howard said. “So for me it’s helping people get past that hurdle, speaking it in their language so they can move forward.”
But the Wallstreet Trapper hasn’t always known what the stock market is or how to invest. He grew up in Mid-City, was homeless at one point, and even went to prison for 10 years for attempted murder. That’s where he learned he could make money is a safer way.
“A guy introduced me to the stock market and he was like you’re just playing the wrong game. That planted a seed because that’s all I knew,” Howard said. “So the stock market it reminded me of the streets so much because it was great business, it was products, it was services I was like oh this the legal game I don’t have to risk my life.”
Now, instead of running the streets, he’s on a very different mission. He says he wants people who look like him and grew up like him to understand how to build generational wealth. Howard says some of his most impactful experiences has been speaking to incarcerated youth, because he’s been in their shoes.
He says if he can make it, so can you, all you need is information.
“I understand financial frustration. It can be a thing that can make you feel like you at the end but what I do know is information changes situation and the reason you’re financially frustrated is you haven’t had the information to change your life,” he said. “What you have is enough and you are one investment away from changing your life.”